Materials Selection Policy

Materials Selection Policy

The mission of the Nevada County Community Library is to create an inclusive environment that fosters discovery; connect our community with innovative opportunities; and inspire lifelong learning and personal growth. Achieving this mission requires providing the strongest collections that our available resources will permit. This Materials Selection Policy establishes guidelines for the allocation of library resources.

Principles of Selection

Selection of materials is based upon a number of criteria that include:

proven or potential interest to the community served;

favorable reviews in library review media;

the existence, or lack, of similar materials in the collection;

the constraints of available space;

cost;

the extent to which the item is available elsewhere in the community.

An item need not meet all criteria to be acceptable, nor will any single criteria be decisive.

The Library selects materials in accordance with the guidelines stated by the American Library Association in its Library Bill of Rights, and Freedom to Read Statement and Freedom to View Statements.

The Library supports diversity of expression and views in its collection in an attempt to provide patrons with a foundation for making informed decisions and formulating personal opinions. The Library does not exclude items because of the race, nationality, social, political, or religious views of the authors. The presence of controversial materials in the collection does not represent the Library’s endorsement of the opinions expressed therein. Although some materials selected may contain language and/or illustrations that may be offensive to some patrons, the Library cannot undertake the task of pleasing all individuals by censoring such items.

Selection Responsibility

The Nevada County Board of Supervisors is the legal body in which rests the ultimate responsibility for the selection of materials for the Nevada County Libraries. The responsibility for the actual selection of materials lies with the professional staff at the Library.

Weeding

The Library periodically discards materials from the collection if they are obsolete, outdated, physically worn or damaged. Multiple copies of an individual title may also be removed as demand wanes. Weeded items will be stamped discarded and sold through the Friends of the Library book sale program if condition does not warrant immediate disposal.